Tea on Tatooine
by Yarol
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi is just beginning to settle into life on Tatooine, when he has an unexpected guest.


Obi-Wan really should have been paying attention, but then he had come to rely on the Force to warn him if something dangerous was about to happen.

Apparently, he and the Force had different ideas on what constituted dangerous situations.

Boba Fett was in his home, and was making tea.

"I know you're there, Jedi," the teenager called out, irritated, "you might as well come in. The tea will get cold."

Obi-Wan snorted, Force helps us all if the tea got cold on Tatooine. But he also felt an unexpected ache. His troopers had always made sure, once the battle was done and if they had a rare moment of downtime, to make tea for their general. One of Obi-Wan last favorite memories of Cody was sharing a pot of tea.

The boy's helmet was on the table, and his back was to Obi-Wan. Rather bold of him, and a studied insult. He didn't consider Obi-Wan a threat. Bold and arrogant. It would probably get him killed one day, Obi-Wan thought absently.

"What brings you here Boba?" Obi-Wan asked from just inside the doorway.

"Fett."

"Hmm?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.

"Fett, not Boba," he poured out the first pot of hot water, then added the tea and poured in more hot water. Someone had taught him the proper way to make tea, "only people I trust have the right to call me Boba; it's a very small number."

"I can imagine."

Fett turned and Obi-Wan felt the ache again. The boy wasn't near old enough to resemble the clone troopers, but the lines were there. Just how old was the Fett? Obi-Wan cast his memory back and winced. Fourteen. Possibly fifteen. Fett set the teapot on the table then retrieved two cups.

"You want to know what brings me here? One simple question. Why did the Jedi never once apologize to me? And you're the only one left to ask."

"What was there to apologize for? Your father was killed in combat, and then you went on a thoughtless rampage resulting in the death of many innocent beings," Obi-Wan sighed wearily, then pointedly added, "You should know by now that bounty hunting is a dangerous business."

"I'll rephrase the question," Fett said in disgust, "Why did the Jedi never acknowledge that their actions lead to the emotional pain and suffering of a nine year old boy who they then left to his own devices knowing full well that his parent and only family was dead at their hands as he watched, and who, in that vulnerable state, was easily manipulated by an **_adult_** with her own agenda?" He let out a huff of air, and added testily, "I just wanted to shoot Windu with a sniper rifle and be done with it before Sing got hold of me."

Putting it that way settled an unexpected additional weight onto Obi-Wan. The Dark Side had blinded the Jedi to so many things, and now Obi-Wan wondered if the Jedi had paid more attention to Jango Fett's child then, would things be different now?

"How much did you know about your Father's work on Kamino?"

"If you're asking me if my Father knew about Order to Kill the Jedi, he may have," Fett shrugged, and brought the tea over to the small table, and poured himself a cup then looked to Kenobi, "he didn't know about the chips though. I only found out about those when I went back to Kamino for a final time."

"The... chips?" he nodded and Fett poured a cup of tea for him; somehow he doubted it was poisoned. Fett would not get his answers if it were.

"The bio-chips in the Clonetroopers' heads."

Obi-Wan continued to be baffled.

"The chips the Kaminoans said were to counter the clones' aggression, but really were to take control of their actions?"

Fett and Kenobi stared at each other.

"You didn't...the Jedi didn't even look into their creation? The Jedi just accepted them without..." Obi-Wan knew that expression, Cody and Rex got it often enough when a civilian or a shiny (and sometimes a Jedi) said or did something particularly stupid.

"You Jedi didn't check?" Fett was nearly shrieking, "Someone creates an army for the Republic, bases it on a man who clearly hates Jedi, and you never even investigated to see if there were any hidden traps? No wonder the Jedi died, you were all stupid," he took a swallow of tea, and stared at the floor as if it might offer a reason for what he considered a monumental act of gross incompetence.

"In our defense, there was a war," Obi-Wan said drily.

"There's no excuse for not checking your weapons, even if you're in the heat of battle, if you think something's not right. Checking your weapons should be as automatic as breathing, because it will keep you breathing."

Obi-Wan was certain the teen was quoting something Jango had said.

"Your brothers were not weapons," Obi-Wan decided to push a little.

"They are not my brothers," Fett growled, "They wouldn't have needed that chip in their heads to kill the Jedi if they were."

"They share the same blood, the same genes," said Obi-Wan mildly, "the percentage may be off by a little due to the modifications, but still the same genes."

"Humans share 96.7% of their genes with Dugs," Boba shot back, "I don't see you calling them your brothers."

"Of course I do, in the grand scheme of..."

" _You know what I mean!_ " Fett shouted, reminding Obi-Wan of Anakin at this age. The teenaged bounty hunter suddenly reminded Obi-Wan entirely too much of Anakin. They had both lost their only parent at the same age (never mind that Shmi hadn't died until later, for Anakin it had been the same) and the Jedi…the Jedi had told them both to set it aside as if it wasn't important, had never made an effort to help them with the loss.

Oh, he hadn't expected that to hurt.

"Fett," Obi-Wan said slowly, "I cannot excuse the actions of the Jedi Order, but neither can I apologize for the Order. But I can say that **_I_** am sorry you lost your Father and I accept my part in causing," for once Obi-Wan was at loss for words. They all seemed inadequate.

Fett studied Obi-Wan a long time with strange intent in his eyes, before slipping his hand into a bag at his feet and withdrawing…a container of an uncommon tea mixture.

"He said this was your favorite," the boy set the box on the table, "he couldn't even say your name -the chip's still in his head, but I got the gist of what he wanted me to do. CC-2224 wants you to know he's sorry. He hopes someday you'll forgive him."

Obi-Wan stared at the tea.

Fett stood up, and made to put on his helmet when Obi-Wan grabbed his arm.

"What do you intend to do now?"

"You're safe if that's what you're asking," Fett shrugged, putting on his helmet one-handed, "They're not my brothers, but I won't hurt them. It would kill CC-2224 if his plea got you killed," he leaned down, Obi-Wan's face reflected in the black T of his visor, "Cody deserved better than you."

Obi-Wan let him go.


End file.
